Writer Development

Menagerie is committed to developing exciting, talented new playwrights, irrespective of experience or background. To this end, from September 2007, we launched the Oysters, Diamonds and Pearls programme, with the aim of discovering and nurturing new talent in the East of England in the run up to the Hotbed Festival, July 3 – 12th 2008. Opportunities for writers include:

• Script Submissions. See below for details of how to submit your script.

• Oyster workshops: these were held across the region, alongside performances of Out of Your Knowledge and with the New Writing Partnership (see details below).

• Rehearsed Readings of new plays at the Junction.

• Rough Diamonds performances: three ‘bare bones’ productions in January 2008 for the most promising writers from the Oyster workshops.

• These and a host of other events will provide the opportunity for new writers to introduce their work to Menagerie in the run up to Hotbed 2008. We are actively seeking to commission new writers for the programme, and welcome the chance to get to know potential Hotbed playwrights in advance. www.hotbedfest.co.uk

Script Submissions

Menagerie’s new submission guidelines offer accessibility, fairness and honesty to new writers.  We give feedback to work in development once it has been through an initial screening (see below).  Readings, commissions and productions all come from relationships we build with writers, and the Script Submission is where that process begins. 

To submit your work for consideration please send us the following:

• A covering letter.
• A one page plot synopsis, including character breakdown.
• A ten to fifteen page extract from your script.
• A self addressed stamped envelope if you would like your script returned. Please ensure that you have included a large enough envelope and sufficient postage.
• At this point, please do not send us full length plays unless we request them: they will not be read.

We aim to reply to all queries within three weeks though we do not offer feedback at this point.  If we are interested in seeing more we will ask you to send us the full script:

• The script must be between 30 and 70 pages unless otherwise requested.
• After reading it, we will send you one page of constructive feedback.
• Any further development beyond this point is specific to the play and the writer.
• Please note that we can not accept submissions by e-mail and we cannot return scripts which are not accompanied by an SAE. 

Please send queries to:

Holly Race

Literary Associate

Menagerie Theatre Company

The Junction

Clifton Way

Cambridge

CB1 7GX

Or you can call Holly on 01223 249300

Or email her: holly@menagerie.uk.com

We look forward to hearing from all writers, particularly those based in the East of England.

Rough Diamonds Showcase

January 25th 2008: 8pm

January 26th 2008: 3pm and 8pm
The Junction, Cambridge

Rough Diamonds is Menagerie's first commissioning opportunity of the 2008.  A winter weekend of 'bare bones' productions of new short plays by 3 talented writers.  Rough Diamonds showcases new voices whose promise is evident in the passion, intelligence and originality of their writing.

The Writers:

• Danusia Iswaszko
• Claudine Toutoungi
• Nicola Werenowska

All 3 entered their plays in open submissions and overcame stiff competition to be chosen.  Rough Diamonds is a prelude to Hotbed 2008, the region’s premiere new writing festival making its return July 3rd – 12th.

Saturday January 26th 3pm: Meet the Menagerie Team

Come and meet the Menagerie team, producers and other writers in an informal atmosphere between performances. 

Free nibbles and drinks.

See PRODUCTIONS for Full Details of Rough Diamonds.

 Workshop Opportunities 2008

Playwright Helen Edmundson

Saturday 5th April, 10am-5pm

At the Junction, Studio 2

In partnership with New Writing Season:

NEW WRITING PARTNERSHIP

Renowned playwright Helen Edmundson will be coming to Menagerie to give a workshop on writing plays and adaptations. Helen’s work has been staged at the National Theatre, the Royal Court and the RSC, and she has written numerous plays for Shared Experience. In 2005 her adaptation of Jamila Gavin’s novel Coram Boy at the National was both a box-office and critical success. Her two-part adaptation of War and Peace is currently being revived by Shared Experience and is on a national tour.

This is an unmissable opportunity to spend a day developing your writing under the guidance of a top playwright. The workshop will consist largely of writing exercises, so attendees should bring paper and pens along, ready to start writing. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your current projects with Helen. There are only 12 places available to ensure that everyone gets the most out of the day.

If you book before 31st March the workshop costs £25 per person. Places booked after the 31st March will cost £35 each.

If you would like to attend the workshop please write a short paragraph on what you hope to get out of the workshop and send it to Holly at office@menagerie.uk.com

Luke Wright – Performance Poet

January 26th 2008 10am – 1.30pm

As part of the Rough Diamonds weekend, top performance poet Luke Wright brings his characteristic boldness and humour to this workshop on writing poetry for the stage.  From writing and editing through to performance, participants will draw on their own life experiences to create an original piece of work.

“Luke Wright is the best young performance poet around” The Observer.

Only 12 places, so book your space while it’s still there!

Venue: The Junction, Cambridge

Tickets: £12

Tel: 01223-511511

IN ASSOCIATION WITH NEW WRITING PARTNERSHIP

www.newwritingpartnership.org.uk

PAST WORKSHOPS

The Playwright’s Craft: Fraser Grace

In Autumn 2007, we collaborated for the first time with The New Writing Partnership to develop a series of workshops for established prose and poetry writers who were exploring writing for the theatre.  Playwright Fraser Grace (Frobisher’s Gold, Breakfast With Mugabe) delivered 4 workshops to the writers and we are following this up with further opportunities in 2008.

Out of Your Knowledge: Steve Waters
Accompanying our Autumn 2007 tour of Out of Your Knowledge, the workshop explored the process behind the making of the show and how that process influenced its style and content.

Polaroids on Stage: The Art of the Short Play with Naomi Wallace

Internationally renowned and a highly accomplished playwright, Naomi is also an inspirational workshop leader, adept at helping writers to develop a critical eye with their own work.  She seeks out ways to make plays which challenge and subvert, rather than underline and conform to dominant ways of seeing in our culture.   

Pulling Strings: A New Approach for Writers with Steve Tiplady

Steve Tiplady is a master puppeteer and storyteller.  This workshop explored the playwriting fundamentals of character, narrative and structure through object animation and shadow puppets.   

Write Here, Write Now: Ben Payne

Working with Ben Payne, Associate Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Write Here, Write Now was an intensive ‘nuts and bolts’ session aimed specifically at younger and early career writers. 

Rehearsed Readings

Menagerie hold regular rehearsed readings of new work at The Junction in Cambridge as part of our development programmes.  All readings are informal events and great opportunities to meet other writers and artists from the region.

Next Reading

Watch this space for details of our next reading in early 2008.

Recent Readings

The Translator by Kat Joyce.

In a claustrophobic house in a foreign land, Winston is terrorised by a native who refuses to speak English. When the authorities are called in to deal with the stranger, identity becomes the battleground and language the weapon used to secure ownership of both land and people. A thrilling exploration of words, power and what is means to be human.

Kat Joyce is one of the BBC/Royal Court ‘50’ writers.

March 2007

Jesus Loves Me

by Kofi Agyemang

The ladies don't go into Tryone's shoe emporium for just any pair of shoes.
These are 'one of a kind' shoes and Tyrone always knows the right pair for you! When Dora walks through the door, it seems like just another day at the office. But Dora's not a shoe person and she likes to talk back.....

Jesus Loves Me explores themes of sexuality, race and identity with humour, passion and plenty of finger-snapping

February 2007

RE: Design

by Craig Baxter

In advance of the first performance of RE: Design at The Junction next month, Menagerie are offering the opportunity to see the work in development at a reading of the play

The Atlantic Ocean between them, Charles Darwin in England and Asa Gray at Harvard work to reconcile orthodox Christian beliefs with Darwin’s new theory of evolution by natural selection.

January 2007

Correspondence

by Claire Macdonald

A man and a woman are watching a grainy, Super 8 film.  She’s dancing, wearing her red dress.  They talk up a world of exotic train travel and chance encounters over Europe.  The journey through the night begins as their highly charged intimacies cross the boundary between real and imagined places.

November 2006

The Natural Touch

by Suzanne Marston

Missy's never taken the easy path - at 17 she's got a sharp tongue, plays dangerous games and she's about to learn her lesson.  The Natural Touch is Missy's 24-hour odyssey through the dangerous, unforgiving waters of desire and power.

April 2006

Rendition

by Daniel Gritten

Same old job. Daily routine. But if you don't get them talking, you're in trouble.  The new batch is in:  there's backs to break, teeth to pull, threats to make.  The prize, a good cuppa on your down time.  John, JC and Grace doing the dirty work, cracking jokes and protecting their country.

March 2006

Scenes from a Substitution

by Carmel Winters

In Scenes From A Substitution, lovers and artists Adam and Evie strive to generate an original blueprint for love and creativity.  Repeated acts of making love/making stories have dissolved the boundary between where one ends and the other begins.  Together they reinvent their roles in the game of (pro)creation and (re)produce first one, then a host of creative offspring.  Paradise, however, is not quite restored; one bone of contention divides them still: ‘Who’s the Daddy?’

February 2006

Smoke & Mirrors

by Rob Kinsman

At this year’s magicians’ conference in Blackpool, the unexpected lurks around every corner. Geeky Colin Henderson has lost his glamorous assistant to a suave mind reader; an escapologist is trying to wriggle out of her career; and Murphy the Psychic Clown is organising a distinctly unorthodox seance. Come and join the sinking ship, as Smoke and Mirrors asks what happens when the magic starts to go out of our lives.

January 2006

Pleading for Mercy

by Ewen Windham

In the suffocating atmosphere of an immigration ‘Reception Centre’, Simon, a young asylum seeker waits for the word on his claim.  Power, authority and fate lie somewhere beyond the door that separates him from the rest of the world.  With humour, passion and humanity, the play explores the relationship between Simon, his lawyer and the interviewing officer – each has a role to play, and each must see it out to its conclusion.

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